Physical changes and hormones that the body experiences during pregnancy make pregnant women need adequate nutrition that can greatly affect the health of both mother and baby. They need to consume healthy meals like benefits of dried peas and avoid all the junks.
Pregnant women should eat a healthy and balanced diet to ensure that they meet the right nutrition as the main source of the baby’s growth. The right nutrition can help improve the growth and development of the baby plus can lead to a healthy pregnancy and birth.
The body cannot function properly if it loses one of the nutrients. Choose natural foods, low fat, and avoid processed junk food. Chips and soda have no nutritional value so they shouldn’t be consumed. Instead, consume something that’s delicious and beneficial, like benefits of yam bean or other fruits and veggies.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, such as chicken, fish, nuts, or lentils are recommended foods, including macadamia. Have you ever heard of it? It’s one type of grain or bean, and it comes from kangaroo country, Australia.
To be able to produce macadamia nuts, you have to wait for 7-10 years, you know. Long enough, right? That is why the selling price is very expensive compared to other types of beans. In addition, it is considered to be pretty expensive because of its soft taste and also the oil it produces.
Macadamia nut seeds can provide up to 80 percent oil and it can be used later as raw material for cosmetics and also as an alternative material for making skin moisturizers. Then there are the health benefits too.
The first health benefit of macadamia nuts is a lower risk of heart disease. Several studies have shown that MUFAs, such as those found in macadamia nuts, can help lower the risk of metabolic syndrome or at least reduce its effects in people already affected by the syndrome.
However, macadamia is also highly beneficial for supporting women during pregnancy. When processed into macadamia milk, it could be a pleasant delicious and very healthy drink to support both the women’s and baby’s health. These are some examples of macadamia milk benefits during pregnancy:
1. Lowering Cholesterol
Usually, with a larger portion of food, pregnant women will tend to be afraid of an increase in bad cholesterol levels in the body. Eating macadamia nuts as part of a healthy diet can lower LDL cholesterol levels, and actually increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). This benefit of lowering cholesterol can be found in several types of veggies, but excluding benefits of cinnamon.
Although the changes are not significant, studies have shown that people with high cholesterol who ate 17-37 nuts per day or equal to two glasses of macadamia milk for four weeks had their total cholesterol down by about 3%, their LDL cholesterol fell by about 5%, and their HDL went up by about 8%. Of course this is very good news, especially for women who are pregnant.
2. Strengthen Bones and Teeth
Another benefit of macadamia milk for pregnant women is for the growth of the baby’s teeth and bones. Important substances that help make teeth and bones, such as phosphorus, calcium, manganese, are all contained in macadamia
In addition, the phosphorus in macadamia can also increase the mineralization of teeth and bones of the mother as well. If you have kidney disease, this is also good.
Therefore, kidney disease usually affects the body’s ability to absorb calcium and manganese which leads to another problematic bone disease. By consuming these macadamia milk on a regular basis, you can prevent that from happening.
3. Best Way to Prevent Anemia and Other Diseases
The high protein content in macadamia nuts, of course, has its own benefits for pregnant women. One of them is that it can increase blood production which is needed by pregnant women as much as 2x during pregnancy.
In addition, just like benefits of garlic, protein from macadamia nuts is also good for the health of skin, hair, nails, and others that may be damaged due to pregnancy. However, you need to remember, the damage is hormonal and temporary, so there’s no need to be overly afraid.
There is an ingredient called flavonoids in macadamia nuts. It is an antioxidant substance found in macadamia and when absorbed into the body, it finds and kills free radicals to prevent various diseases like breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer or stomach cancer.
4. Rich in Fiber
Macadamia milk is also high in fiber, which is also an important element needed by pregnant women. The fiber contained in macadamia milk can certainly prevent constipation which is commonly experienced by pregnant women due to organ shifting problems during pregnancy.
In addition, the fiber content in macadamia nuts can also protect pregnant women from intestinal problems that might occur.
5. Highly Supports Heart’s Health
If indeed pregnant women are afraid of other risks such as heart or other cardiovascular problems, then consuming macadamia milk is a must. Similar to benefits of ginseng, this one benefit is actually pretty general.
This means, not only for pregnant women, but for other people who are not pregnant can also feel this benefit. The milk is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which keep platelets from sticking.
Of course, this can further prevent a heart attack or stroke, while also lowering maternal blood pressure. Generally, people who have high blood pressure are more likely to be at risk of cardiovascular disease. Certain sources have also linked the quality of the macadamia milk to their potassium content.